Sunday, December 28, 2008
2 Corinthians 4
I am loving reading through Second Corinthians. It reveals so much of who God is, and gives such a hope to His children of eternity to come. I find myself pondering a lot about God's glory, and just what that is. I can relate it to geometry, nothing you can touch, yet very real. I never did understand why they were always measuring those angles and shapes somewhere out there in outer space. Nothing tangible, just at random trying to figure out some equation. Glory appears that way sometimes, too. Nothing you can touch or see clearly, but all the same, it is who God is. After being saved for many years, I seem to come back to these very simple truths of God, which, really, defines just who God is.
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Verses 10-12 We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that his life may be revealed in our mortal body. So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.
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My brain seems to be in a constant struggle to make the fruits of the spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control) to rule in my life. Not just to outwardly be able to act those things out, but to truly feel them in my heart and actions. I do not want to be an impostor, but to truly see God do these things through me. Talking with Alexis and that wonderful sister of mine about sanctification, we have discovered how God puts the very things in our life that drive us crazy to use for sanctifying us. For Alexis it is little brothers. Daily she has lots and lots of opportunities to choose to die to self, so that the life of Jesus may be revealed in her; even to her brothers. Sometimes I drive myself crazy, always having this measuring rod of Christ in my life. Many times I indulge in my own selfish ways. Always having to come back in repentance.
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Paul reminds us how our daily deaths, given to God, is for the sake of Jesus, that he may be revealed in our mortal body. So, my happily being a Dish Dawg on my dish days, repeating the verse mounted in front of me (whoever wants to be greatest among you must be a slave to all) is a death to self, revealing Christ to my family. They all know how just me myself would grumble and complain about it. As I woke this morning, to not 5 but 8 little people, I rethought again what a great impact my obedience will one day have on these children. At least I hope and trust God that it will. There is nothing greater in this lifetime than to know Jesus, and to reveal that.
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Verse 16-18 Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.~So, day by day, moment by moment, as God continues to make me eternally minded, I will continue to fix my eyes on Him, rather than what is here, unseen. Not always understanding what He is doing in situations out of my control, but trusting and waiting. Renewed daily by the Word of God, and encouraged that one day it will all be revealed. An eternal glory that far outweighs anything of this lifetime is His reward. As if He wasn't enough in Himself.
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On that note, and being that the major holidays have passed, I am off to quilt away the next few days. Taking my mom's advice to take some time for myself, I am going to indulge in messy houses, fend for yourself, and non-stop quilting! Can't wait!
